Which video games will make it into the World Video Game Hall of Fame this May? Will John Madden Football tackle the competition? Can Ms. Pac-Man chomp its way to victory? Can Asteroids blast past the finish line? Or will Final Fantasy VII be the ultimate hero?

The Strong’s World Video Game Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York, today announced the 12 finalists for induction: Asteroids, Call of Duty, Dance Dance Revolution, Final Fantasy VII, Half-Life, John Madden Football, King’s Quest, Metroid, Minecraft, Ms. Pac-Man, Spacewar!, and Tomb Raider.

“These 12 World Video Game Hall of Fame finalists span decades, gaming platforms, and countries of origin—but what they all have in common is their undeniable impact on the world of gaming and popular culture,” says Jon-Paul C. Dyson, director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games. “Whether it’s a true innovator and original like Spacewar!, a pop culture icon like Ms. Pac-Man, or a game like Minecraft that’s still played by millions around the world, they’re among the most influential games of all time.”

The World Video Game Hall of Fame received thousands of nominations from more than 100 countries for consideration for the 2018 class. New this year, fans may vote for their favorite finalists from March 27 to April 4 as part of a “Player’s Choice” ballot at worldvideogamehalloffame.org. The three games that receive the most public votes will form one ballot and will join the 27 other ballots submitted by members of the International Selection Advisory Committee, which is made up of journalists and scholars familiar with the history of video games and their role in society. The final inductees will be announced during a special ceremony at The Strong museum on Thursday, May 3, at 10:30 a.m.

The World Video Game Hall of Fame recognizes electronic games that meet the following criteria: icon-status, the game is widely recognized and remembered; longevity, the game is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over time; geographical reach, the game meets the above criteria across international boundaries; and influence, the game has exerted significant influence on the design and development of other games, on other forms of entertainment, or on popular culture and society in general. (A game may be inducted on the basis of the last criterion without necessarily having met all of the first three.)

Anyone can nominate a game to the World Video Game Hall of Fame online at worldvideogamehallofame.org. Inductees to the first three classes of the World Video Game Hall of Fame—Donkey Kong, DOOM, Grand Theft Auto III, Halo: Combat Evolved, The Legend of Zelda, The Oregon Trail, Pac-Man, Pokemon Red and Green, Pong, The Sims, Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Invaders, Street Fighter II, Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and World of Warcraft—are displayed on permanent view at The Strong in Rochester, New York.

*The History of Video Games in 64 Objects by the World Video Game Hall of Fame available now for pre-order and at all places books are sold on May 29.*

About the World Video Game Hall of Fame

The World Video Game Hall of Fame at The Strong recognizes individual electronic games of all types—arcade, console, computer, handheld, and mobile—that have enjoyed popularity over a sustained period and have exerted influence on the video game industry or on popular culture and society in general.

About The Strong®
The Strong is a highly interactive, collections-based museum devoted to the history and exploration of play. It is one of the largest history museums in the United States and one of the leading museums serving families. The Strong houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of historical materials related to play and is home to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the , the World Video Game Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play. Together, these enable a multifaceted array of research, exhibition, and other interpretive and educational activities that serve a diverse audience of adults, families, children, students, teachers, scholars, collectors, and others around the globe.

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